Fruit-grate



(No Model.)

J. H; MARV'IL.

FRUIT CRATE.

No. 374,799.- PatentedfD''c. 13, 1887.

v UNITH) STATES PATENT FFICE.

JosHUA H. MAHVIL, yor LAUREL, DELAWARE.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Parametros-74,799, datedDeeember 13,1887.

Application filed October 6, ISST To @ZZ whom, t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, J osHUA H. MARVIL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Laurel, in the county of Sussex and State of Delawarehaveinvented new and useful Improve ments in Fruit-Crates, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to fruit-crates used for carrying berries andsimilar small fruit in The invention consists in the severalnovelfeatures of construction and new combinations of parts, hereinafterfully set forth, and deinitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of thecrate, the cover being raised to expose the under side. Fig. 2 is a planview of the crate with the cover in place. Fig. 3 is a diagram showingthe method of forming the angular corner-posts.

In the said drawings is shown the crate, which is composed of slats 2,arranged with intermediate spaces for purposes of ventilation. At eachcorner of the crate is a cornerpost, 4, in the form of an angle-plate,said post embracing the angle of the crate and affording a securefastening and support for the slats 2. Upon the two longer sides of thebox or crate the slats 2 rise to the top of the corner-posts 4, and areiiush therewith; but the end slats drop a little below the tops of saidposts, and the ends of the cover or lid 5 rest upon said end slats, 2,and are nearly Hush with the side slats, the intention being that thesurface of the cover shall rise slightly above the edges of said sideslats and the tops of the corner-posts. Upon the under side of the coverare fastened transverse strips 6, which rest upon the edges of the uppertier of baskets in the crate and confine them firmly Seria. No. 251,642.(NoA model.)

strip, 2, lying oppositethat containing the openings 8. To fasten thelid the dowels 7 are placed in the openings 8, and the opposite slat isthen sprung somewhat outward to permit lthe dowel 9 to enter the opening10. The edge of the cover is cutaway around the prolonged end of thecentral strip, as shown at 11, to permit the insertion of the fingers tospring the slat.

The 4corner-posts 4 are formed of solid wood, being sawed from astrip ofscantling of proper size. Heretofore it has sometimes been customary tosaw these posts out by making two cuts at rightv angles to each other,each cut parallel with one of the faces of the square strip. By thismethod, however, the portion of lumber within the angle was wasted. To Aremedy this objection I take astrip of lumber of proper thickness and'length and of any width. In this strip I form a succession of saw-cuts,12, at an angle of ninety degrees with each other and each at an angleof fortyfive degrees with a central line drawn from edge to edge of thestrip along the length of the strip. By this method each angular eutproduces a finished post having its edges 4a beveled without waste oflumber.

The method of forming the posts is not claimed herein. Y

By my invention I provide a simple and inexpensive construction forarticles of this class, avoiding entirely the use of iron for hinges orfastenings which are constantly splitting off or beinglost, besidesforming incon- Venient projections which interfere with the close pilingof the crates. By my invention a strong, handsome, and inexpensive crateis provided, lhaving `iiush surfaces throughout except at thecornerposts, where the anglesare beveled, so that blows thereon willusually glance off without injury.

IOO

Heretofore packing-boxes have been used having covers which are lockedby independent bolts shot simultaneously into sockets in the ends andone side of the box. Crates have been made, also, having a coverresti-ng on two opposite sides, which are cut down to bring the coverflush, or nearly so, with the remaining sides. I make no claim',broadly, to such forms of construction.

Having thus described my in vention,\vhat I claim is 1. In a fruitcrate,the combination, with a body portion having openings on opposite sidesnear the edges, of a cover having parallel basket-confining strips uponits under side, one or more thereof having the ends prolonged beyond oneedge of the cover and one or more of the remainder having the endsprolonged beyond the other edge of said cover to engage the openings inthe sides of the crate, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-crate, the combination, with a body portion havingcorner-posts and parallel sides ilush therewith and provided withopenings near the edges, of end portions having their edges lower thanthe sides to support the cover, and a cover having parallelbasketconfining strips on the lower face, the end of one of said stripsbeing extended beyond one edge of the cover and the ends of the adjacentstrips being prolonged beyond the Vopposite edge of said cover to engagethe openings in the sides, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the crate body composed of slats 2 andcorner-posts4, the upper edges of the end slats being cut down and theside slats having perforations 8 and 10 upon opposite sides, of the lidor cover 5, having cross-strips 6,whereof the central strip, 6, isprolonged beyond one edge, and other strips on both sides thereof areprolonged be yond the opposite edge to engage the openings 8 and 10,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA H. MARVIL.

Vtnesses:

i H. F. AMARVIL,

J oHN H. ELLIOTT.

